The Sun. — London, England, 1836-02-18 00:00:00

LITERATURE THE PROVOST OF 131?(TGES. Illacrone, London, 1836. This tragedy—no uncommon case b y t h e b ye—acts better than it reads. When we witnessed its first re presentation, the other night, at Drury Lane, we were !Mich struck by the frequent force and beauty of the languag e , w hi c h seeme d to soar far beyond the level of dramatic common-place : now, however, that we have Perused it in the calm seclusion of the closet, our ad miration is somewhat abated, for we find that what we Mistook for an exclusive excellence on the part of the author, was rather owing to the emphatic declamation of Macrtady, who gave even to the tritest sentiments and most prosaic diction, a force and novelty of which 11 ° One could have supposed them susceptible. Not that we would imply by this that the " Provost of Bruges" is an inferior performance—far from it :it con tains many effective dramatic situations ; and through out, the third act, the best conceived and best written in the whole play, is full of promise, from which, when the author's mind becomes more disciplined, we augur the most successful results. But the language of the drama is certainly not what we imagined it to be, when our judgment was under the spell of Macready's voice and manner. We look in vain for lofty thoughts and fe elings rotse.d in an appropriate garb ; the very utmost we Can say of it is, that it is perfectly unaffected, making few or no pretensions to poetic excellence ; but Conveyincr ordinary ideas in an ordinary manner. Ther e is no one sentiment calculated to haunt the me mory ; no one sun-burst of fancy to shed a light on the Page, an d kindle our fervid admiration. The author is a good dramatist, but an indifferent poet, bein g in this respect the very reverse of Mr. Taylor, Wut ' has shown himself in his Phillip Van Arte "'lle," to be as superior a poet as he is an inferior play wright. The best scene in the play is that wherein the Provost's son-in-law--a young, haughty Flemish ‘ patricia n , by name Bouchard—taxes him with having u een born a serf, when he had led him to suppose t hat he was, like himself, of illustrious descent. As this dialogue made a great impression on the audience, tiresents a favourable specimen of the author's style, we extract it. Enter BOUCHARD (hastily.) 1 /_enaan.—Ef.ortulphe, am I a Serf ? t i 4 hertiLrnE,____Wf i v, now thou ravest. ° l:cnAan.—Fly not; from the point, t, B ut answer me. Ant I a Serf, Bertulphe ? 'RitT ULPHE.—There's not a Noble living in all Flanders % C an boast a purer ancestry. u cH/R13.—1 know it : But I hav e ns i x 'd th e ir lofty blood with thine. 'T is there the blow would reach me ; 'tis through thee ! d ay —art thou free ? t `lcrutrim (undecidedly. )—Free?—Yes. ° , u cH/an (with violent impatience. )—Torture me not,— t But tell me ,— art t h ou f ree ? r o l l'ci.Pn E .—l am—for I am a man ! `°ucHAßD_By heaven, if thus thou playest with my words, Thou'lt drive my frenzy to some desperate act, MY reason w ill re p en t !— wer t th ou b orn no bl e ? t h ill 'uLPHE (calmly. )—No ! Never clasp thy hands in idle rage, ' s Q ut listen !—I was bo r n o f h um bl e s t oc k,— i nce now 'tis useless to affect concealment— serfs —as your nobles call them : but I found That in my breast, which might have fill'd a king's— A heart as proud as ever chafed at bondage. W hen manhood had braced up my limbs, I left r,Y adopted h ome —it was th e old Philipp e ' s ,— ~or b o th my parents di e d :—t hi s was t h e t i c G ave him s uc h p ower o n me : —I left m y country— / fled the soil they would have chained me to, I %rid join'd the foreign wars. In my first fight cleft a Noble to the waist. How now I cried : is thi s a S er f? A no th er f e ll ; .3 , vas strange a Serf should mow down knights like grass 1— "L, Y fortune sm iled—l rose to a comnand ; And still was conqueror, till my fame so grew, That Nobles flock'd to fight beneath my banner. Oh ! then bow the Serf smiled ! I join'd the Council, And baffled haughty princes, crafty statesmen— All of most noble blood ;—yet none could stand Before the Serf—until at length this Earl, Even Charles himself, besought my powerful arm, On Baldwin's death, to prop his infant cause ; I placed him on his throne—l—l—Bertulphe I placed him—held him there !—Now tell me, boy, Where is the drop of blood within these veins, That speaks its baseness ? or, if none, confess Heaven made no Serfs, but only man's device To trample on his fellows ! so cuAim_ on i cfess That you are great--wise—l believe you good ! That you have w rong ' d me foully—sunk me—crush 'd me— ed the honour of my noble house— graded lost ine—Heavens ! Bouchard a Serf ! At n . eras a plot from the beginning— rick to Thi n . gi with my more noble name own base metal—and you angled for me with a girl's smiles;—your daughter for a bait ! The character of Bertulphe, the Provost, is that from which we are chiefly inclined to augur favourably the author's future dramatic efforts. It is not a Mere outline, but a well-filled tip portrait of a proud, lc Lian as man ; generous, b ut no hero o f romance i n generosity, which is duly leavened with worldly ,' : ft and caution ; capable of the noblest actions ni r ,„ th :seif, an d of appreciating them in others ; but at that presumes ti me ready to sacrifice without remorse, all th - i Presumes to check or divert the course of his aeter, it will be seen, is a com- P — l e uiti °n• Such a clia: 1 "e, made up m k t o f mangy' motives, and even con letions, and consequently is more difficult to pour ay a ccurately than .1 f or -sy or revenge, is to be personated. When, there e, we s a y t h at t h e aut h or h as f u ll y succe eded in his n' lne ation, never filling short of, and never exceeding 4 t limit s of n a tural propriety, we conceive that we e b e i t h o stowing on hi m the highest prase p w possible ; for 4 11 force, and grace, and beauty of dialogue are necessary to constitute the dramatist, yet these are t n° ' eomiderations when compared with the anatomy th cha racter--the loftiest and most difficult requisite of ' e art. Art? CLEVELAND AND THE ST. CLAIRS,4-c. In 3 vols. London: R. Bentley. 1836. ~hThis is a Tale of fashionable life, by the help of t eh th e ennu i e d i n t h e hi g h er c i rc l es may p l easan tly h e t , ' l4 of some hours which otherwise might hang d rath vi ' , Y upon thz.ir hands. There is a good deal of tilc atiC power in some of the seenes, and occasion ofjstriking s k e t c h es of personal character. A press parliamentary matter prevents us from giving a fore extended notice of it. 4 7.114. .eITISE ON THE POLITICAL -1. ECONOMY OF RAILROADS. Br HENRY FAIRBAIRN. London: John Hale. 1836. t o Th e wild est i mag i n i ngs o f t h e aut h or o f t h e " Od e i 4 th e Passi ons, " so b eaut if u ll y d escr ib e d b y J o h nson lei s Lives of the Poets, were tame matter-of-fact of ill i i-n _ r °n-plac es compared with the grave suggestious i 'i 4e nry Fairbairn on the Political Economy of e: l ro ads. How easy to " gaze upon the magnifi hai-jee of golden palaces," having of course previously c on -t tl3 eni, compared with the stupendous operation of t o : trti ethig a lin e o f R a il wa y s , o ne over the other, lk : e aeh to moon ! And as to being " lulled to re vtlise 1 1 the waerfalls of Elysium," why it is nothing e 4 Weighed against a solid line of Railroad from 110 ver to Calai s , an d anot h er f rom D onag h a d e e to baittPatriek—both of which undertakings Mr. Fair recommends as p r i va t e speculations; for he i t down as a principle (page 11) " That no Act tr P arliam ent for the f ur th erance o f any enterpr i se , all e ' or commercial purpose whatever, should be tle ::wed t o be passed ; and that Railroad projects are 4 n exception to the general rule." Another of ito r • Pairb a i rn ' s projects i s t h e construction of a cast 1. 4 , 1 1 1 canal to connect t h e R e d S ea w i t h t h e Mediter trifle.", which he considers might be procured At the 4 4t k in g expense of twelve minions of money I The or of this work is—to put tlle ;Post favourable t'-"trstruction upon his suggestions —two or . three,een orr'es at least m adva nce o f his age ; and it will "tl4eilex e be as well to leave the analysis of its merits t,9 posterity. DUBLIN-MONDAY FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) " The storms of wintry time will quickly pass, And one unbounded spring encircle all." The King's Speech, and measures of Reform since an noanced are diffusing great content and satisfaction throughout this country—because the long-cherished hopes and expectations seem at length likely to be realized. Ire land feels that we have now a Government that, under standing her wants, is disposed to supply them ; and fully sensible of the evils that have so long oppressed us, are de termined to mitigate them. A few days before the opening of Parliament, I furnished you with the result of my obser vations on public opinion, which amounted to this—that a reform of the corporations —a settlement of the tithe ques tion—a provision for the destitute poor—and some laws restrictive of the influence of ignorant and prejudiced magistrates —were looked forward to, during the present Session. It appears that the most important of these mea sures are already resolved upon ; and if Government be slow in pressing them on the immediate attention of the Legislature, we feel that it is with the view of rendering their adoption, on a scale of the most comprehensive utility, ultimately more certain ; for the most sanguine amongst us cannot deny that hopes of Tory domination are not yet quite extinguished ;, and that, so long as such hopes are entertained, the effect of every measure of national improve ment will be circumscribed and impaired by that branch of the Legislature not yet sufficiently permeated by the " spirit of the age." Rut even this opposition will give way to the Ministerial majority in the lower House, which must be daily augmenting. The events of the last week prove to demonstration the progress of Reform among the represen tatives of the people. In every struggle they have contrived to be in the right. Not only has Sir Robert Peel's party lost ground in public opinion, on this side of the Channel, since the 4th of this month, but he has himself diminished his repute for discretion by the mode in which he marshalled the Tory forces, and exposed their weakness, in the ren contres that have already taken place ; and the discomfiture of the first engagement seems to be repeated in every sub sequent one entered into by his partisans. Nothing can be more disastrous to Tory prospects here than the inauspi cious commencement of the attack on O'Connell ; and dis may already manifests itself among that faction in this country, who had hoped the Raphael affair to be a God send, by which they could work great mischief to a Govern ment meriting the support and approbation of Dan. The promptitude evinced by that gentleman in seeking an inves tigation, not less than the conduct pursued in the case by the Secretary for the Home Department, have quite astounded the corruptionists here. They are completely at a loss to divine why a Cabinet Minister should court inquiry into a transaction that , may by possibility terminate unfa vourably to a supporter of Government. This was not the way in which services were rewarded in the good old Tory times—the practice, during the long period of their misrule, being for the Government to exert all its powers and in fluence in staving off such inquiries. But the most disheartening, the most sickening circum stance connected with the intelligence of this affair to the Ascendancy boys is—the masterly chastisement inflicted by Mr. Shiel on Lord Stanley. The debates on this point have been perused with considerable interest and anxiety by both parties here, who regarded the Right Hon. Ex-Secre tary as arbiter of the destinies of the powers now contending for supremacy in both Houses of the Legislature. But conjecture and suspense no longer prevail—his Lordship is not now looked upon as holding the balance of power be tween Whig and Tory. Our talented little countryman has placed Lord Stanley in a false position—or perhaps, to speak more correctly, he has divested him of all the state influence that has been for some time past ascribed to him. In the position in which he stands at this moment, he can- Dot lend much assistance to any party with which he may c h oo se to coalesce. Sheil has given him a political portrait and colouring which cannot recommend his support as de sirable to either set of benches. Henceforward, therefore, he is marked, as one of that peculiar caste of statesmen who cannot be in the ascendant in these kingdoms. Such, at least, is the impression of a great number of persons in this city, who hitherto were inclined to think favourably of his political conduct. The premature and melancholy death of Mr. Jessop, High Sheriff of Longford, has caused a great sensation within the last few days. He had been just sworn to dis charge the duties of his office, in a county long under the dominion of the Tories ; and much curiosity now exists as to his successor. It is mentioned in well-informed circles, that a Mr. O'Ferrall, brother of Moore O'Ferrall, Member for Kildare, and one of the Lords of the Treasury, will be the new Sheriff ; and certainly a more generally acceptable nomination could not be decided on. This gentleman is a member of a respectable Catholic family, well known throughout Ireland, not only by reason of their extensive property and influence, but because of the estimation in which they are individually held by all who know them. Ile is said to have a large lauded property in the county ; and the mention of his name shows the great expectations of improvement, in every department of the public service, which Earl Mulgrave's Government has excited. ELOPEMENT AND GOOD GENERALSHIP.—Wed nesday a great sensation was created in Stockton-upon-Tees, by the elopement, on the preceding evening, of a fashionable young couple for Gretna-green. The gentleman, who has just attained his majority, is a young soldier, whose regiment is at Plymouth, and eldest son of a well-known clergyman and magistrate near Northallerton ; the lady, who is about the same age, is one of the nieces of a retired solicitor of great wealth at Stockton. The happy couple started from the lat ter place in a post-chaise at six o'clock on Tuesday evening; but on reaching Durham, the gallant son of Mars, though ar dent with love, yet with the cool head of an experienced gene ral, dreading pursuit, which he was certain would be quickly made, resolved to halt. in that city rather than incur the risk of being thwarted in his purpose, by undertaking the more protracted and hazardous trip to Gretna. The ruse proved successful I for within a few hours two gentlemen, relatives of the fugitives, arrived in hot pursuit at their retreat, the Half- Moon Inn, and demanded admittance by a furious attack at the bells, doors, and windows, which was obstinately resisted by Boniface on account of the lateness of the hour, who, how ever, assured the gentlemen on his honour that there were no such parties in his house, but that they had taken coach to Darlington. The pursuers, on hearing this, and never doubt ing such an assurance, and, moreover, unable to gather any intelligence from the post-boy who had driven the couple, or the ostler at the inn, both of whom were completely over powered by the liberal treatment they had experienced—im mediately started off for Gretna ; where, on learning that the man of iron had not been honoured with a job that week, they iay in ambush for some time in anxious expectation of the ar rival of the lovers, calculating to pounce upon them upon the very threshold of the " Smiddy." They, however, waited in vain, doubtless not less to their chagrin than disappointment at being so completely outwitted; and thus the happy pair were left. et Durham to have the Gordian knot tied at their lei sure, and unmolested, the following morning.- Tyne Mercury. SHOCKING AND FATAL ACCIDENT.—On Thursday week, one of the most shocking and summarily fatal accidents on record occurred et the extensive printing works of Messrs. William Grant and Brothers, situate at Ramsbottoto, about three miles from Bury. The drying ma chines in those works are placed in a large upper room, on one side of the large square formed by the buildings, and are driven by a neat, portable, six-horse steam-engine, which stands in the same room. A boarded partition divides the space occupied by the machines from that part of the room in which the engine stands, behind which partition, for safety, the fly-wheel is Situated. This precaution is the more necessary, as one side of the room forms a sort of thoroughfare for the hands employed in other parts of the works situated on the same story, The fly-wheel revolves in a strong wooden framing, wide enough to allow its periphery to work freely be tween its two sides. Whilst the engine was at work on the day above mentioned, one of the men went behind a partition to replace a strap on the driving pally of the machine next the engine, in endeavouring to do which, it is conjectured, he must by some means have lost his footing, and fallen with his head upon the wooden framing, just within the range of the arms of the fly-wheel, which, in an instant, severed the upper part of his head from the body, leaving the lower jaw attached to the lifeless trunk. The noise, and the momentary concus sion, occabionccl by the dreadful accident, induced a fellow workman to go behind the partition to ascertain the cause, and the Lorror he felt at discovering the Ilfele:; remains of a fellow-creatui - e, who had only a moment previously been work. ing by his side, in full health, stret.gth, and spirits, may be better conceived than ribed. When taken from th e f a t a l spot, the remains of the poor ;,:.!low presented a ei e k en i ng spectacle. An inquest on view of the i-..?dy was held at the Grant's Arms, Ramsbottom, and a verdict of " Accidental Death" was recorded. The poor man has left a widow gnd small family, to lament his melancholy end.—Manchester Advertiser. SNOW STORM.—We learn from a gentleman in Badenoch, that there has been a " feeding storm" in that dis trict, which has been augmenting for the last eight or ten days, and has placed many of the inhabitants, resident among the hills, in a state of blockade. If a change does not soon come, the sheep-farmers will suffer severely, and provender will be scarce. The proprietors of the Caledonian Coach have been at no small trouble and expense keeping it running, often with six horses to drag it through the snow. in spite of all exertions, however, the coach stuck fast on Saturday, rho oth January, w ithin half mile of Dalnacardoch inn. On 3 Monday, an attempt was made to plash it forward, and about three miles 14rther were accomplished, but tlio now became e a r a e dr ou r-ri t 1A0t: 4: Our so deep, that it was fond necessary to drive the coach bF r ek again to the inn, and there* egg remains. The same evening the 4gzan to Perthshire, lost discovered their situation, Post their tynewrs i,;fipr:smto;Kd,sn_i,gaunt}sd)sieywe light &mud nett and being stro ypt pg Nog., mcceeded in gaining ng, Lark , Dalwhinnie Inn, one of them at Se.vPu rho morning, apcl the other at ten. —lnverness CV urtei. it 1.14 g, so strong a gale of wind from the northward yesterday as rye 02e riser appear more like a sea than the River Thames, even prevantiog 0. number of vessels from Keying with any degree of safety. W6 . J . 'Ar fii,c;p;m,:,.! accounts from ,t :e opt, as at the time of writing this there wag pot the ;east appeartins,e,of its abating. BRIGHTON- WEDNESDAY. His Majesty and the Landgravinc drove to Shoreham this morning before luncheon. Their Majesties also took a car riage airing this afternoon, at their usual hour. This being Ash Wednesday, the Queen, accompanied by Prince George of Cambridge, Countess of Mayo, and Miss Hope Johnstone, attended prayers at St. George's Chapel this morning, and afterwards drove to the Park. The Princess Augusta, accompanied by Mrs. Cholmeley During, took a carriage airing this morning at 12 o'clock. On Monday evening the Royal dinner party, by invitation, comprised the Hon. Col. and Mrs. Dawson Darner, Hon. Mr. and Mrs. Jerningham, Mrs. Fitzherbert, Hon. Capt. Ponlett, , R.N., Major-General Sir N. M'Bean, Admiral Sir Edward King, Lieut.-General Sir Keir Grant, Earl and Countess of Cavan, Hon. Capt. Campbell, General Gascoync, and Colo nel Sir A. Christie. Yesterday evening the following had the honour of dinin. with their Maj e sti e s : —Mr. L. and Lady Jane Peel, L a d y G. Bathurst, Marchioness and Lady E. Cornwallis, Sir A. and Lady Dalrymple, Lady Caroline Neeld, lion. Wm. and Mrs. Ashley, Lord and Lady Aylmer, Rear-Admiral Thomp son, and the Hon. Capt. Poulett. The Earl of Cavan, and Lord and Lady Aylmer, will have the honour of dining with their Majesties this evening. Lord Melbourne arrived at the Palace yesterday afternoon, at half-past two o'clock, and had an interview with the King, which lasted till nearly seven o'clock, when his Lord ship returned to town. Among our latest departures are—Lieut.-General Sir W. Keir Grant, Major-General L'Estrange, Hon. General Phipps, and Lord Fitzgerald. The Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry has taken a house in the Crescent. COURT CIRCULAR. Aldermen Wood and Harmer and a deputation from the City had an interview with Lord John Russell yestesday at the Home Office. Colonel Torrens and Mr. Hutt had an interview with Lord Glenel,g yesterday at the Colonial Office. Count D'Aglie, the Sardinian Minister, transacted business yesterday at the Foreign Office. Lord Clements had an interview with Viscount Melbourne yesterday in Downing-street. The Commander of the Forces had an interview yesterday with Lord Glenelg. The members of the Catch Club met on Tuesday evening at the Thatched House Tavern, St. James's-street. There were present his Royal Highness the Duke of Cum berland, Lord Adolphus Fitzclarence, Sir George Warrender, W. J. Campbell, Esq., Lord Templetown, Hon. Mr. For tescue, Hon. W. T. Fiennes, &c. The election of Secretary in the room of the late Mr. Leete, was pstponed until after Easter. The members afterwards partook of a sumptuous dinner, and a variety of beautiful catches were sung by the professional gentlemen present. Great alterations and improvements are going on at Bentley Priory, Stanmore, the scene of unparalleled gaiety about a quarter of a century ago. During the whole of the winter about one hundred and fifty men have been employed in the house and grounds. The Duke of Wellington's visiters at Strathfield saye, on Sunday and Monday, were the Russian Ambassador, the Prussian Minister, Marquis and Marchioness Wellesley, Marquis and Marchioness of Salisbury, Lord Lyndhurst, Lord Burghersh. The Russian Ambassador was expected last evening at Ashburnham House, from the seat of his Grace. The Duke of Roxburgh has arrived in Grosvenor street from Fleurs Castle, Kelso. The Duke. of St. Alban's is expected at Dover on Saturday. His Grace has been recommended change of air after his attack of small-pox. The Marquis and Marchioness of Abercorn are there, and contemplate paying a visit tothe Continent. The Marquis of Chandos was recalled from his Par liamentary duties to Stowe, in consequence of the indisposition of his father, the Duke of Buckingham. The Duke of Devonshire is expected to arrive to day at Devonshire House from Paris, where he has been re iding during the last month. The statue of the late Mr. Huskisson, sculptured at Rome, having been finished, is expected daily at Liverpool, to be placed in the singular building in th e cemetry raised to his memory. Wrecks on the Suffolk coast have been numerous, and in some instances loss of life has occurred. At Pakefield two men and a boy sunk from Southwold. Three men were seen this morning clinging to a piece of wreck, a short dis tance out to sea off Covehithe : the:intelligence soon reached the Preventive Station, when the utmost dispatch was used to get down the life gun, but the weather being extremely bois terous, the poor fellows disappeared before any assistance could be rendered. A great quantity of wreck has been drift ing past the whole day. On Thursday morning the wind blowing a gale from E. N.E. with a heavy sea. A brig with her crew was lost. The mariners of another brig were saved by launching a life boat under the direction of Lieut. Carter. PRESERVATION FROM SHIPWRECK.—On Tues . day afternoon, during the heavy gale then blowing, signals of distress were made by a vessel in the roads, and public anxiety was strongly excited by the very dangerous situation in which she appeared to be, with our iron-bound coast under her lee. The wind blew with great fury, the rain descended in heavy showers, and the atmosphere became so dense that it was al most impossible to see the vessel ; indeed many asserted that she was totally ingulphed by the mountainous waves which dashed with tremendous fury on the rocks, and spread a dazzling sheet of foam all around. The life-boat, however, was got down with great diligence to Havre-de-Pas, and pre parations were made to launch her. She brought all the pas sengers safe on shore.--Jersey Argus. A Court of Aldermen was held on Tuesday for general business, at which the Lord Mayor, nineteen Aldermen, She riffs, arid City officers were present. The Sheriffs presented reports on the state of the gaols, and Mr. Sheriff Salomons alluded to the inconvenience arising to the friends of convicts in Newgate under the existing regulation respecting the visiting day there, and the Court referred it to the Gaol Committee to consider of an alteration to be made in that respect. Mr. Alderman Humphery informed the Court that he had been served with a rule from the Court of King's Bench to show cause why a writ of mandamus should not be issued against him in respect of his office of Alderma n o f Aldgate Ward, and requested to be furnished with copi es of the several proceedings connected with that election, with which the Court complied. TIIE ELOPEMENT FROM NAPLES.—Several er roneous accounts of this affair have been published in the French and London papers, and from them copied into our own. As the lady was so well known in this quarter, any particulars of an authentic character will be acceptable to our readers. From a letter received in Naples from the gentleman to whose safeguard Miss Penelope Smyth committed herself in this ha zardous enterprise, and who so nobly subjected himself to the censure—nay, punishment, of his Sicilian Majesty, for the part he has taken in the transaction, the following incidents are extracted :—" The Queen Dowager of Naples had consented to the marriage of the Prince of Capua with Miss Smyth, and endeavoured to persuade her son the King also to consent to it, but without effect, although the Queen Mother impressed upon his Majesty, that she had watched the conduct of the Misses Smyth from the time she suspected her son had formed an attachment for Miss P. Smyth, and that neither she nor those to whom she had spoken were able to trace a breath of slander against the sisters ; on the contrary their conduct and deportment were the theme of approbation to both Neapolitans and foreigners, and Prince Charles has declared, that before lie made their acquaintance, he felt the greatest respect for the propriety and steadiness of their conduct. It is no less sur prising than true, that when the fugitives arrived at the barrier gate of Capua (the second stage from Naples) the officer of the guard went up to the carriage window, and, in a stentorian voice, said A letter from his Majesty to your Royal High ness for it appears that the courier had passed them on the road. The consternation of the party may be more easily imagined than described ; and with a trembling hand his Royal Highness opened the letter, when, instead of a command for an immediate return, the letter was couched in the most friendly terms of advice; and on the officer saying he had no orders to detain them, off they drove at full speed, and so continued un til they arrived in Sienna, in Tuscany"--whence the letter was dated. The writer concludes by saying—" Thus far I have conducted my fair charge in safety, and a short time will now see this business concluded with all the forms of legal selem n:zation."—Cork Paper. RENT.—Last week, Sir Charles Throckmorton, Bart., at his rent-day at Coughton Court, Warwickshire, re turned his tenantry twenty per cent., and assured them that as long as the produce of their land afforded them no better prices than at present, he should always be ready to share in their difficulties, by making such abatements as circumstances ren dered necessary.—Birmingham Journal. [The general adop tion of a similar reduction of rents would at once afford the only practical relief to agricultural distress. Let the landlords reduce their rents, for by this alone we repeat can any sensible diminution of the farmer's distress be effected.] THE JEWS.—" Talk what you will of the Jews," says Selden, " that they are cursed—they thrive wherever they come ;_ they are able to oblige the Prince of their coun try by lending him money. ; none of them beg ; they keep together; and, for their being hated, my life for yours Chris tians hate one another as much." Until the reign of Henry IL, a spot of ground near Redcross-street was the only place in all England wherein they were MICMCCI to Wry their dead, A geologist will toll you there is uothing in the world so interesting, so engrossing, sn 04 Pilv4iing; 01 eerarn, bulatin g a d u ll an d m i sera bl e coen t ry chipping Or Pits of rock, and scooping out lumps of play, lie sees no beauty In Richmond Hill ; his only delight is in discovering and telling you of what it i§ composed. The finest mountain in the world has no charm for his eye in the mass. No l to be agreeable to him he must go and knock a little bit of it off, and wrap up that history uo i t r t sy l . e t7 b ßf i t iAt of . d a irt ,, , be in ft ;l i i i t t.r ti; e h m. it of paper, carry it to Somer set Ho9se, t4efe tn t ice tpiether little bit of paper, end write the relOpi F / i r . *F, 4,Ain Esq., were removed from Py Monday morning the town residence in t4 e dF,4_ § naße .4 tq , fartiliy yao,4t Melton-t?y-uanteroury. The mci aety arpopg Pie gentle men, Pf th,e Bar to pay the last tribute of respect to tills emi nent and bigiiipgieig4 ro rr iqpr, large Gaya Cade of —,Jades to Clone the procession t among Whibil we noticed f those of the Vice Chancellor T or, ..ow lAA :". Rolls), Lord Abinger, Si r H er b ert Jenner, 1,0-rd"6hief-Jus tice Tindal, Mr. Justice Patteson, Mr. Justice Gaselee, Mr. Justice 'Littiedalc, and ,john ROW SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS. The people of England, whilst they are anxious that the empire should continue united, are no less desirous that the union should be a real bond of af fection and of common participation in the advantages of liberal government, and not a mere legal j unc ti on of parties governed upon different principles, and kept together only by force. There can, therefore, be no difference of opinion among Englishmen who are not entirely blinded by party and religious prejudices, that the extension of the benefits of responsible local go vernment to Ireland, is recommended by- every motive of policy, liberality, and justice. It is perfectly clear that any measure of Municipal Reform which would meet the views either of Irishmen or of Englishmen, must be founded on the same equitable principles as those contained in the English and Scotch Corpora tion Bills, and following as closely as possible the the provisions and details of those salutary measures. The bigoted enemies of Ireland, who are no less the real enemies of the rights and liberties of English men, perceiving it impossible to defend, or even to palliate, the iniquities which have flowed from the old system of close Corporations in Ireland, and which the Reports of the Municipal Commis sioners so abundantly supply, are willing—rather than good government should supersede corruption, and the inhabitants be gratified by having an effective control over their own affairs through their ()pent) , elected offi cers—rather than this boon should be extended, and the Irish people be thereby conciliated and gratified, they are willing to throw overboard the friends and champions of corruption who have fought in their cause, and to swamp and destroy the whole of the ex isting Corporations, provided only that no others are established in their places. Was ever party and fac tious motive so nakedly displayed as in the arguments to this effect which have lately disgraced the pages of the Tory Journals? What ! the sticklers for existing privilege—the friends of the poor man !—the inspired defender of Charters !—are these the parties who, ra ther than rights should be enjoyed by the people, who under a free election may return liberal councillors, and here and there, perhaps, ultimately supersede a Tory representative—are these the parties who ought to ad vocate a sweeping disfranchisement, and abolish char tered rights which have existed for centuries ? Upon what pretext should the inhabitants of towns which have received their charters from the Jameses and Charleses be now deprived of the privileges of ap pointing their own officers, and enjoying the advan tages of effective local government ? Is it because a few families of a dominant party and a favoured sect have, in the course of time, usurped the rights of the many, and monopolised and abused privileges originally Intended for the citizens at large ? Is it upon the fact that the offending Corporators are Orangemen or To ries, and the bulk of the citizens Reformers and Li berals, that the Tory prints will build up a case which can be made by any ingenuity a fit argument to be put before the eyes of the people of England ?—of that people, just emancipated themselves from a similar thraldom, and able to sympathise with their Irish brethren in their efforts to rid themselves of the abuses which prevail in Ireland to an extent which would be incredible, were the facts not so completely . authenticated, and to substitute, in return, a system based upon the same principles which they themselves enjoy ? The public will o sc v a e r r cely the sy p m r i o i a b t a h h ie w i s ij y i t o ho r the :Ftrre transference" in their sference,, of f lii i) ni ol ri v g e s r taking place under the operation of the new Act. If, by a strange coincidence, Tories arc always found to be so mixed up with abuses, that when open popular election is substituted for close election a " tranf erence" of power to liberal hands must be the result, we may lament over the inherent depravity of the faction which has met with its reward ; but no one but a most im- 'indent and unblushing Tory can make it a ground for serious reasoning against free election itself. And unless justice is to be confined to one side of the Irish Channel we cannot conceive how the Tory faction can muster a single plausible argument against a measure of Corporation Reform for Ireland founded on the great principles" of the English Bill, that is to say, secur ing to the inhabitants an efficient and responsible Go vernment, based upon open and popular election.— Morning Chronicle. With the exception of pursuing one undeviating couise injurious to the interests and institutions of the country, it is the cardinal vice of Lord Melbourne's Cabinet, ,that being anxious to purchase from all quar ters the toleration which they cannot merit from any, they are perpetually trimming to the passing hour, and, like their great Irish tutelary, are everything by turns, and nothing long. Determined to cling to office, if not for the sake of its pelf and patronage, at least for the glutting of their vengeance against a King whose patriotism justly estimates them, they will run or tack, according as the wind on their weather-quarter compels them to beat about, or emboldens them to persevere. As we repeatedly remarked, they have no steady or determinate principles of action. Where they cannot bully they will beg. Swagger and syco phancy are alternately resorted to, as their interest or conveniency may suggest ; and their insolent bray of defiance scarcely reaches its top note, till it dies away in a whine of the meanest obsequiousness. Hard words and heavy charges these unquestionably are. How far we have proof to sustain them will appear in the sequel ; and, recollecting that an unsubstantiated indictment tends only to the triumph of the accused, we now proceed to adduce our evidence for the pre mises, content that Lord Melbourne's Government shall have all the benefit, and ourselves the odium, accruable from its insufficiency and fhilure. Consi dering that the Premier, with Lord John Russell and some others of the present Cabinet, were prominent members of Earl Grey's Ministry, it is not too much to assume that they are fairly responsible for whatever inconsistencies are discoverable between their former and their present measures. As an illustration, then, of the weathercock policy of the existing Government, let our readers recur for a moment to the Diisenteri Marriage Bill, brought in, two years ago, by Lord J. Russell. When that piece of legislation was submit ted to the country, his Lordship stated, that without expecting to reconcile all interests and to satisfy all par ties on so difficult a subject, his proposed Bill was ; upon the whole, the best which Ministers could devise, or, in other words, it went as far to meet the views of Dissenters, without prejudice to the Established Church, as he then thought expedient and proper. The Noble Lord's Bill, however, was bitterly exclaimed against, by the parties for whose relief it had been framed. But our readers will remember that the op position given to it had had no effect in extorting from his Lordship any serious or beneficial alteration in its principles or details. It was to no purpose that poor Mr. John Wilks, then in opposition with Messrs, Hume and O'Connell, declaimed against its provisions. It was to no purpose that the Board of Dissenting Deputies passed their hostile resolution ; while, as far as regarded any satisfactory advance on the question in dispute, it appeared that as the Noble Lord and his colleagues were at that time strong enough in the House of Commons to resist any combination of Pa pists and Radical Dissenters, so neither speeches nor protests, nor deputations were able to goad the Go vernment forward by a single jot. All that they would consent to was a petulant withdrawal of the Bill. Now, that they entertained no intention of proposin g a new measure on a different poocipie is evid en t f rom this—that though they had all the remainder cf th e ges69l - 4 and muc h of the subsequent recess to have prepared such a measure, yet, confi dently reckoning on the continuance of those Parlia mentary majorities which made them careless of Dis senting or Radical support, such had been their con temptuous neglect of this question, that having arranged nothing on the subject, it was not till compelled by their weakness in the new House of Commons that they gave promise of another MaTriage till, for the mere s;lic of pwellaqii\g tha,t support which, in the YYa;ltOnnesa of their. former power, they had insolently held so cheap, Meanwhile, Sir Rohea Peel during h i s h 1 .41 Ad!nitti4r4tim . h,ad ced u m arriage measw, 410 1 0 ; we feed only 4437 that Llm liberality of its Kmeipl el a9 l 9lAwlqigo And a d in i pe d b y 4 0 the simplieitfel its details, were everybody gacept the then eX-Ministers an,l ` l ,tose Godly - Dissenting preacher s w h ose ambition to be equal with the established clergy smacks so scandalously of this prseqt yyciji(l, Irn ' fact it was i ta il e 4 w i t h o ccrs b .y all parties in Parlia ment,•except such as happened to be sitting on the ex- Ministerial Bench ; nay, it was loudly lauded by the Dissenters' Parliamentary agent, even by Mr. John Wilks himself. This, to be sure, was a reasonably queer predicament for the noble leader of the Opposition to be placed in. " What ! a bill by the Conservative Reform Government receiving that general approbation which - had been scornfully denied to the measure pro posed by my ex-colleagues and myself ! A pretty pass to be brought to—just on the top of one's marriage ! But Peel shall not put our craft in danger after such a fashion as this. The liberality of these measures of his, in which he is only following out his law reforms, will utterly destroy us with the country. Wherefore, out he must come, at whatever sacrifice." And such having been the natural soliloquy of the Noble Lord, the sequel was in all respects worthy of it. A bargain was im.nediately struck between the Melbourne candi dates for office and the extreme party of the Papists and Radicals, in virtue of whose -support the what-you-please policy was henceforth stipulated to be the order of the day. The appropriation principle, which Lord J. Tk us „l l and his quondam colleagues had so lately refused to as sert, was forthwith forced by theta do le We throat of Parliament. Sir Robert Pserg D4sentere I?eliff . whose very liberality had incurred their hatred in pro portion as it endangered their popularity, they would neither permit him as a Minister to carry through, nor would they conduct it themselves. Their own pre vious measure on the marriage question had been declared by them to be the best and properest they could devise: and yet, within this day or two, we are told that, excellent as was Sir Robert Peel's Bill, they are now about to bring in a measure which Si r J. Wrottesley said) "goes further than atl" nay, more, that it is to be better than their own former best —and though its details are rtvi yet sufficiently before the public, to ell:111 1 0 US to give a decided opinion on the particular privileges now to be disposed of to the Dissenters —enough of the veering and accommodation policy has been manifested to show, that as place and poundage are the main considerations with our Trea sury auctioneers, so if even their new marriage catalogue should fail of satisfying the purchasing propensities of their Dissenting bidders, their hammer will never stop till the sale of the Constitution is completed. Exa mine, too, their recent procedure with regard to the. Scotch Church Commission. A plainer case against•the fitness and fairness of the working meinbers of .Whorn it was originally composed, could not possibly have been submitted to them than was drawn by some of their own partisans. Even one of their favourite evening prints could not conceal its chagrin that Mr. Earl Monteith, Mr. Roger Ayton, and, above all, Mr. James Stuart, had not been put upon the Commission in question ; and when the Earl of Aberdeen complained in Parliament of its grossly iniquitous composition, it pleased Lord Melbourne to declare that that composition was unal terable. A smart breeze, however, has lately changed their tack. Terrified out of their wits by various recent ar ticles on this subject by some of their contemporaries and ourselves, they have at length given orders that the 'Scotch Church Commission shall receive several additional members. They are afraid, we suppose, of the accounts from Scotland, in case of some unlooked-for dissolu tion of Parliament. But even the new members whom they have appointed are only demonstrative of their own selfish apprehensions, without contributing by a single iota to re g ain th em th e con fid ence o f t h e Scot tish peopl e . ith the exception .. of young Tom Webster, there is scarcely one of them whose sense qt justice towards the establishment would not y icld to their political partizanship and their hopes of prefer ment. Now, what can be inferred from this, except that the King's 'Ministers, proctriing upon no steady or honourable principle, are desirous to compass by a mean and worthless ruse those treacherous objects which, while apparently depriving the church of any right to complain, may satisfy, nevertheless, the de structive designs of their Dissenting abettors ? A more temporizing and faithless crew were never em barked on the political deep. How long their voyage is to continue, a very little time will show.— Times. There are few greater deceptions practised upon the public than that miscalled economy, which lays on with the one hand a greater load of expense or taxation than that which it takes off with the other. This, we ap prehend, is pretty largely the case with the favourite Commission-mania of our Whig Ministers. We lay out of the question the state of servility and depen dence to which it is calculated to reduce the Bar— though that is no small evil, and look at it for the pre sent merely on the ground of expense. Any Member of ParliaMent who would move for and obtain a suc cinct account of the number and cost of the various Commissions now in existence, would be doing a great public service, and would produce a result which —we have little doubt—would go far to show the fallacy of the specious economy which dismisses, or cuts down useful clerks, to make way for new and expensive app o i n t men t s , most , if not, all the objects of which might as readily and effectually be obtained through persons already maintained in indolence, at the public expense. But of all the economical delu sions to which the public is at present subject, that connected with the new Poor Law Ac't is the most questionable, and therefore laboured with the greater earnestness. Here again we lay out of the question for the presant all considerations but those immediately connected with expense. Every one knows, and hears with satisfaction, that there has been a great and very general fall in the amount of the poor rate in most parts of the kingdom ; but those who would have us believe that this reduction is wholly, or even principally attributable to the operation of the new law, state that which most of them know to be a palpable delusion. In the first place every one at all acquainted with the subject knows that a better management of the poor and a reduction of the rates was coming very generally into operation before the Poor Law Bill had left the desk of its projector. They know, too, that emigration and an increased demand for labour in railroads and manufac tories have very considerably lessened the number of applicants for relief ; and above all, they know that the rapid fall and unprecedented low price of provisions must have had a•greater effect in reducing the , smount of parochial relief throughout the kingdom, than all lather causes put together. Now, if the combined amount of the reduction in the poor rate, which justly belongs to these several heads, were deducted from the aggregate, and from that aggregate the enormous ex penses brought upon the country by the expense in salaries to Commissioners, Assistant Commissioners, Secretaries, Auditors, Relieving Officers, and the capital and interest of money borrowed for building workhouses, were then deducted, the public would have fairly before them the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, as t o th e actua l sav i ng b rought about by this otherwise 'questionable measure. And, returning to the point at which we set out, they would see the actual amount in numbers and pounds sterling, of that enormous patronage of which, under the vari ous classes above enumerated, as well as many others, it has become. and is the daily increasing source. The rotten borough patronage will prove to have been as nothing compared with the centralising system which is now making such rapid and effectual strides. The patronage of the whole of the turnpike roads of the kingdom is, we see, to be the next object of its grasp. —Morning Herald. GLASGOW MANUFACTORIES.—Among the nu merous extensive manufactories, the following arc unequalled for ingenuity arid extent :---Messrs. Henry M ont i eth and Co.'s dying, discharging, and printing works at D a l marnock ; Messrs. Charles Tennant and Co.'s chemical works at St. Rollox, for the manufacture of sulphuric acid, chloride of lime, soda, and soap. This manufactory, the most distinguished and exten sive of any of the kind in Europe, occupies ten acres of ground and within its walls there are buildings shi c h carer thirty-one thousand three hundred and forty-six square yards of ground. There are upwards of one hAndred• furnaces' retorts, or fire. places. The platinum vessels in one Apartment alone cost up wards of 041(194-' AURORA BOREALIS.. IVI. Arago has announced to the French Academy of Sciences that during the proving of the instruments destined for the Bonite, it was remarked that the compass was extremly irregular in its movements on the 17th, 18th, and 19th of November. It was during these three nights that the aurora borealis was visible, which con firms the opinion that the magnetic needle is influenced by the northern lights.—Athenceum. A portrait of Queen Elizabeth, at " •ge of 17 was .tie a recently discovered in an ancio- • was erected in the finished - mansion in Yorkshire, h which il • .arty part of her reign. . 0 6114 % characteristic likeness of that celebrated wopciaA, and exhibits her under far more • favourable circum stances of fe a t ure an d expression than any likeness of her that 38 ICACIITA tO CAiSt, IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF COMMONS FEBRUARY 17. The SPEAKER to o k the Chair M at a few minutes before four o'clock, when . Mr. CHILDERS took the oaths and his seat for Mahon, in the room of Sir C. Pepys, now the Lord Chancellor. GATESHEAD AND DURHAM RAILWAY. Mr. PEASE brought up the report of the Committee on the bringin Gateshead and Durham Railway Bill. L eave given tq Bill. M. FINCH moved for leave to bring in a Bill to improv e the navigation of the river Welland. Leave given. ht in a .Bill tr, m a k e a 1 MANCHESTER AND CHESTER RAILWAY. railway from Manchester to Chester. The 1-1"..m. Member chester Railway Bill. Mr. E. WILLIAMS brought in a Bill for the Improve, ment of Wearmouth Dock. GREENWICH AND GRAVESEND RAILWAY. $ ir WM. GEARY presented a petition for leave to bring in a Bill to make a Railwr...y from Greenwich to Gravesend.._ Leave given. , Mr. i ti sir _il7,RSTElN presented a petition from Greenwich in 1 :::vour of the Gravesend and Greenwich Railway. 4 also M p r. rea ß et . lte N d Vi a L p ß et ß it A ion il i A :f l av b ou ro r u o g f the Stto!!iport and Man_ MANCHESTER AND SALFORD RAILWAY. Mr. BR OTHERTON brought up the Report of the Com mittee on this Bill, and obtained leave to bring in a Bill in pursuance of the recommendation of the Committee. • CARLISLE DOCKS. Sir J. GRAHAM presented a petition from Cnrlisle, pray ing the House to pass a Bill for the improvement of the docks at Carlisle. GREAT WESTERN 11AILWAY. • Mr. C. RUSSELL brouabt up the Report of the commit tee on the Great Westp_-,. - 1 , Raiiwa-y, recommendio-. an ahem- tion in the line of . roa d . . NOTTINGHAM CEMETF.Ity. . C.r R. FERGUSSON presented a 7,etition fr om Notting ham, praying for a Bill to establish h. cemetery i n that town. HALIFAX RAILWAY. Mr. LOWTHER presented a petition from the nierelnints and tradesmen of York, in favour of the'railway from York 'to Halifax. SIDMOUTH HARBOUR:' Sir J. Y. BULLER presented a petition frotn'SidmOutli, praying for leave to bring in a Bill to make a harbour at - Sidmouth. The HON. MEMBER also presented a petition from l'tign - mouth, praying for a Bill to improve the niVigation of the River Tyne. HAYLE RAILWAY.'' ' ll * Mr. PENDARVES brought. up the Tc;pot be Coin: mittee on this Railway, and obtained leave to hag rut:all - 01. BEL FA ST HA RBD U R.. Mr. E. TENANT presented a pctition'trom 134fif4 - 4. 1 4 -44.4 ing.for a Bill to i mprove the harbour of Belfasr, - - 71 % : 4 • • MR: BUCKINGHAM'S CLAIMP:. Mr. FE-RG OS presented two petifidn'S in Ta':ollT',-prMiL4-C Buckingham's CompensatiOn Bill. Helel7, gec i, however;il6, to be supposed at present to give any opir.,ion on the subet.' • Mr. PENDARVES presented a :petition from a place in Yorkshire in favour of Mr. Buckir:gharn's claims: Petitions were presented by F. .SITiNV, and Mr. BUCK,.. INGHAM, the purport of whi'f a we did not -• SIIIPWRECKS. ' • The HON, MEiurjea' next presented `a: petition praying for an inquiry into "die causes of frequent 'shipwrecks, particularly. in migrant vessels. He cordially supported its prayer. METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY. Mr. WAKLEY said he bad a petition to PreseiVt on the subject of a Metropolitan University, but as the ClAncellor of the Exchequer, who had proinised to be in the 'douse at half past four, was not yet in his place,_ he would i - l'iefer its presenta tion until some fitture opportunity. , . ENGLISH , TITRE BILL: Colonel THOMPSON notice of his intention, in course of the progress of the Tithe. Coinnuitation, Bill for England and Wales, to inove an amendment to the effect, that of the amount award,ed by the Commissioners one half should continue a money rent for ever, and the other half. a corn rent, on the prineiPl.'a of the Bill. WORKHOUSES. Mrs URTEIS presented a petition prayinr , that rate -pay: I.s should have 20 years, instead of 10, for the repayment of money advanced for building workhouses, under the New Poor Law Bill. PUBLICANS' LICENSES. The same HON. MEMBER presented a petition from the publicans and licensed victuallers of Sussex, complaining that great damage had been done to their interests by the pro visions of the New Beer Bill, and praying for a consolidation of the laws affecting their trade. Captain PE CHE LL presented two petitions from Old and New Shoreham and Worthing, on the same subject, and with a similar prayer. TITHES—(IRELAND.) Dr. BALDWIN presented a petition from a parish in Cork, praying for the abolition of tithes in rural districts, and of minister's money in towns and cities. Mr. SHARMAN CRAWFORD, as a Protestant, felt it his duty to support the prayer of the petition, and hoped in whatever Bill might be introduced on the subject of tithes, Ro man Catholics should be exempted altogether from that im post. Lord HENNIKER and Mr. GUEST presented petitions, but we could not catch the purport of them. AGRICULTURAL DISTRESS. An HoN. MEMBER presented a petition complaining of agri cultural distress, and praying for an inquiry into the causes thereof. Lord DARLINGTON presented a petition, signed by 1,400 individuals, the most respectable landowners and occu piers in the county of Suffolk, on the same subject. Both petitions were referred to the Agricultural Committee. Mr. HO WARD presented a petition, complaining of agri cultural distress, and praying for inquiry. —Referred to the Se lect Committee. Lord G. MANNERS presented petitions from the owners and occupiers of land in Walton, North Leicestershire, and Bury St. Edmund's, on the subject of Agricultural distress. Sir J. TYRRELL presented a petition from Chelmsford, South Essex, on the same subject, and expressed his regret that his Hon. Friend, the Member for Malden, did not perse vere in his motion to have Mr. Bramstone's name added to the agricultural Committee. - Dr. BO WRING—If Hon. Members wbo represent the agricultural interest would only look around them, they would find that the only part of the world where agricultural distress prevailed was where Corn Laws existed. The Hon. Member was proceeding, when The SPEAKER interposed, and put it to the Hon. Gen tleman whether it was proper to enter upon a discussion on the presentation of a petition, the subject matter of which had already been referred to a Committee. Mr: L ENN A R D had a right to complain that his Rrnposition for adding the name of his Hon. Friend Mr. t3ramstone to the Committee on Agricultural Distress bad not been acceded to. He hoped that the Noble Lord, the Secretary for the Home Department would delay 11:s Bill for the commu tation of tithes, until the Report of The Committee had been received. Mr. H. GRATTAN was about to make some observations upon Mr. Goulburn's Bill, as it regarded the Irish tithes, when he was interrupted by The SPEAKER, who reminded the Hon. Member that as the petition was to be referred to the Agricultural Committee, the present was not a proper opportunity for raising a discus sion upon Hear, hear.) Mr. GRATT AN explained. Sir J. T YRRE L presented petitions from other places in Essex to the same effect; also a petition from a union of parishes under the Poor Law Amendment Act, in the same county, complaining of the occupiers of land being taxed more heavily than the owners of land for the building of work houses. The petitio ners a l so p raye d t h at t h e t i me for making payments under the Bill might be extended from 10 to 20 years. As he (Sir J. Tyrrell) believed that matter was under the consideration of his Majesty's Government, he should nut, therefore, say more upon the subject at that moment. STEAM NAVIGATION ON THE THAMES. Mr. GROTE presented a petition from the lightermen and watermen of the City of London, praying that some regulation might be made relative to the navigation of steamers on the river Thames. There had been a serious loss of .life, and much injury to the property and business of the petitioners by the rapid rate at which the steamers were propelled.—.(Hear.) He moved that the petition be referred to the Committee on the Port of London.--Agreed to. • THE EXCISE. Mr. O'BRIEN presented a petition from an individual named Powell, complaining of having been dismissed from the Excise without any just grounds, and praying that an investi gation might take place into the circumstances. - CHANCERY. Mr. HUME moved that the return of the Masters in Chan cery presented to that House on the 2nd of Februaryk.printed. VOTERS.—(IRELAND.) The HON. CENTI.EMAN begged to amend the motion► of which lie had given notice last night, relative to the electors entitled to vote for Members of Parliament in Ireland. He begged to include the persons entitled to vote in every city, county of a city, town, and borough in Ireland, under the Ist and 2d William IV., chap. 18, with the amount of qualifica tion. The Hon. Member then gave notice, that he should to-morrow move for certain returns respecting the Commer cial-road Trust. CARLOW ELECTION. Mr. WALLACE gave notice that he would move to morrow (this day) for a commission to investigate the alle gations cont a i ne d i n t h e pet i t i on presente d f rom M r . Vigors. PRISONERS' COUNSEL BILL. , ar'''.4 he found Mr. EWA RT moved the second reading of this Bill, Sir E. WILMOT hoped the House would not th.ank b iln, ard;ainst it. He pertinacious in opposing this Bill again. He had ratttl. o i t hi s entirely business to inquire into the matter since last t year, that a great majority of the Judges w ere _ . o e f n i had been wrong in stating that found Bill t it i. 9 • year was carried by a majority of only one; he _ r, : s vmt n, but that was no great majority.- (Hear.) He content,; (..isl , I i liat he was right, when he before stated, that acc . ordong to ,he Bill, the Counsel far the prisoner would In entitled to four speeches. He was of opinion that r . :, Time or melley should be lost. in obtaining the ends of j : - .„ st i ce ; but he thou g ht b oth would.be thrown away by t'- Bill, and-he was sure that ' ' ..., p resent if it was. carri e d it wou ld not carry out the intentions of the Hon. Member -for Liver pool; and that the prisoners themselves would, be the first to cry out against it. He quoted the grounds of objection urged against the Bill last session by Lords Brougham and Den-. man, and concluded by moving that the .Bill be read a: second time that day six mouths. , Mr. O'CONNE LL said that the law on i the subject as t. at present stood was abominable. Nothing could be moi-e, frightfully unjust. In a criminal prosecution the prosecy'or's THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1836.